Rest Day: Picnic and Surprise

The VeloDrone's picnic took place in a grassy meadow outside Saint-Flour. He had organised a special surprise. The bearers of the picnic baskets were Belle et Bonne, and Marie!

After the necessary introductions, they sat down and began to eat. Belle et Bonne's basket was crammed full of local sausages, Saint Nectaire cheese, aligot and baguettes. Marie opened her basket to reveal a tempting array of chouquettes, macarons, a baked tarte tatin, still warm from the oven, a bowl of wild strawberries and a pot of fresh cream.

Gustave: What is there to drink?

The VeloDrone: Don't worry about that! I've brought champagne galore!

Farky: No water?

The VeloDrone: No, of course not. I do have some Powerade somewhere, I think.

Farky: Erk! That stuff makes me break out in spots.

Belle et Bonne: Oh poor Farky! Don't worry, I have some water in this bottle.

Sweezus: Oh Belle et Bonne, Marie, it's so good to see you!

Belle et Bonne: You too, darling Sweezus.

Violetta: Ahem. I've heard so much about you two girls.

Marie: We've heard so much about you too, SPLOSH!

Violetta: Really? You've heard of me? No way! Wow!

Gustave (munching on a sausage): Violetta, you and I need to talk.....

Le Bon David: Well isn't this lovely! The meadow flowers, yellow gentians, lilies, butterflies, sunshine, cows......

Gaius: Red and black kites, eagles, buzzards....

The VeloDrone: What? Buzzards? Where?

Gaius: I can't actually see any just now.

The VeloDrone: Good.

Marie: Well, everyone, how's the race plan been going?

Le Bon David: It's been going great guns! Violetta here has something up her sleeve.

Gustave: I think it's well past being up her sleeve...

Le Bon David: ...and Farky has made friends with Cadel Evans' dog, Molly the dachshund. He tells us she's into Japanese literature.

Marie: Oh how sweet! Manga comics?

Farky: No, much darker than that.

And Farky was once again off on his favourite theme.

At Some Level

Dreams are short. But some of them take a long time to tell....


So you have a real garden? asked Jesus. What's in it?

Oh, marigolds, violets, roses, lilies, I said. That's weird, come to think of it. They're all the ones in the song.

Not all, said Jesus. Check this out. And he was off again, singing.

The Crown Imperial bloometh too in yonder place, 'Tis Charity of stock divine the flower of Grace....

Yet, mid the brave, the bravest prize of all may claim, The Star Of Bethlehem- Jesus- blessed be his Name....

That's me, he said.

How come you're in your own garden? I asked.

Listen, said Jesus. Anyone can be in their own garden.

I mean it sounds like you're planted in your own garden.

It does a bit, said Jesus. But listen to this, the last verse.

Ah! Jesus Lord, my heal and weal, my bliss complete, make thou my heart thy garden plot, fair trim and neat.

Wait a minute, I said. That sounds like you'll be doing all the work in the garden!

Good heavens! said Jesus. So it does! What a stupid song. Nice tune though, don't you think?

Yes, I said. I like the way the lines don't fit the music.

Hey look! said Jesus, ignoring my remark. Someone's left a striped sock on the floor.

( Strange how dreams distort reality. As you know, I didn't see that sock till afterwards ).

How could they have missed it, I said, when it's so colourful ?

Yes, said Jesus. It makes you wonder. And see, the stripes are the same colours as my flowers, orange, violet, red and white and green. Now that just shows that everything in the universe is connected at some level.

Jesus! I said. That's deep.